Headphones with on-head detection

Abstract

This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that enhance user comfort and improve user control of the headphones are discussed. Various sensor configurations and electronic component positions are also discussed. User convenience features that include detachable cushions and automatically detecting the donning and doffing of headphones are also discussed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An earpiece for a pair of headphones, the earpiece comprising:
 an earpiece housing defining an interior volume, the earpiece housing having an interior sidewall surface extending around a central opening of the earpiece housing at a first angle and a first aperture formed through the interior sidewall surface; 
 an earpiece cover coupled to the earpiece housing and covering the central opening, the earpiece cover having a plurality of sound openings formed through a central region of the earpiece cover, an outer sidewall surface extending around the central region and aligned with and extending over the interior sidewall surface of the earpiece housing, and a second aperture formed through the outer sidewall surface and aligned with the first aperture; 
 an annular earpiece cushion coupled to the earpiece housing surrounding an ear-receiving region of the earpiece; 
 a speaker disposed within the interior volume and positioned to direct acoustic energy through the plurality of sound openings in the earpiece cover into the ear-receiving region of the earpiece; 
 a carrier coupled to the earpiece housing and disposed over the first and second apertures, the carrier having a body formed between first and second opposing major surfaces, the first major surface facing the ear-receiving region and the second major surface including a mounting portion disposed at a second angle relative to the earpiece housing different than the first angle; 
 an optical sensor comprising an optical emitter and an optical receiver and coupled to the mounting portion of the carrier, the optical sensor aligned to emit radiation through the body of the carrier and through the first and second apertures into the ear-receiving region and receive reflected radiation back through the first and second apertures and through the body of the carrier. 
 
     
     
       2. The earpiece set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor has a field of view that is confined to an area within an inner periphery of the earpiece cushion. 
     
     
       3. The earpiece set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the optical emitter is an infrared laser. 
     
     
       4. The earpiece set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises material transparent to infrared radiation and the first major surface of the carrier comprises an infrared radiation absorbing material. 
     
     
       5. The earpiece set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor comprises a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) and an array of single-photon avalanche diodes (SPAD). 
     
     
       6. The earpiece set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the earpiece further comprises a processor programmed to calculate time-of-flight distance information received from the VCSEL and the SPAD. 
     
     
       7. An earpiece, comprising:
 an earpiece housing defining an interior volume, the earpiece housing having an interior sidewall surface extending around a central opening of the earpiece housing at a first angle and a first aperture formed through the interior sidewall surface; 
 an annular earpiece cushion coupled to the earpiece housing surrounding an ear-receiving region of the earpiece; 
 a speaker disposed within the interior volume and positioned to direct acoustic energy into the ear-receiving region of the earpiece; 
 a carrier coupled to the earpiece housing and disposed over the first aperture, the carrier having a body formed between first and second opposing major surfaces, the first major surface facing the ear-receiving region and the second major surface including a mounting portion disposed at a second angle relative to the earpiece housing different than the first angle; 
 an optical sensor comprising an optical emitter and an optical receiver and coupled to the mounting portion of the carrier, the optical sensor aligned to emit radiation through the body of the carrier and through the first aperture into the ear-receiving region and receive reflected radiation back through the first aperture and through the body of the carrier. 
 
     
     
       8. The earpiece set forth in  claim 7 , further comprising an earpiece cover coupled to the earpiece housing and covering the central opening, the earpiece cover having a plurality of sound openings formed through a central region of the earpiece cover, an outer sidewall surface extending around the central region and aligned with and extending over the interior sidewall surface of the earpiece housing, and a second aperture formed through the outer sidewall surface and aligned with the first aperture, wherein the speaker is positioned to direct the acoustic energy through the plurality of sound openings in the earpiece cover and the optical sensor is aligned to emit radiation through the first and second apertures and receive reflected radiation through the first and second apertures. 
     
     
       9. The earpiece set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the optical sensor has a first field of view contained within an inner periphery of the ear-receiving region of the earpiece. 
     
     
       10. The earpiece set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the optical sensor further comprises a beam steering device configured to direct the radiation to a plurality of individual fields of view contained within the first field of view. 
     
     
       11. The earpiece set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the optical sensor comprises a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) and an array of single-photon avalanche diodes (SPAD). 
     
     
       12. The earpiece set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the earpiece further comprises a processor programmed to calculate time-of-flight distance information received from the VCSEL and the SPAD. 
     
     
       13. The earpiece set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the carrier comprises material transparent to infrared radiation and the first major surface of the carrier comprises an infrared radiation absorbing material. 
     
     
       14. An earpiece comprising:
 an earpiece housing defining an interior volume, the earpiece housing having an interior sidewall surface extending around a central opening of the earpiece housing at a first angle and a first aperture formed through the interior sidewall surface; 
 an annular earpiece cushion coupled to the earpiece housing surrounding an ear-receiving region of the earpiece; 
 a speaker disposed within the interior volume and positioned to direct acoustic energy into the ear-receiving region of the earpiece; 
 an optical sensor coupled to the interior sidewall surface of the earpiece housing, the optical sensor comprising an optical emitter and an optical receiver and aligned to emit radiation through the first aperture into the ear-receiving region and receive reflected radiation back through the first aperture. 
 
     
     
       15. The earpiece as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising a carrier coupled to the earpiece housing and disposed over the first aperture, the carrier having a body formed between first and second opposing major surfaces, the first major surface facing the ear-receiving region and the second major surface including a mounting portion disposed at a second angle relative to the earpiece housing different than the first angle, wherein the optical sensor is coupled to the mounting portion of the carrier and aligned to emit and receive reflected radiation through the body of the carrier. 
     
     
       16. The earpiece as set forth in  claim 15 , further comprising an earpiece cover coupled to the earpiece housing and covering the central opening, the earpiece cover having a plurality of sound openings formed through a central region of the earpiece cover, an outer sidewall surface extending around the central region and aligned with and extending over the interior sidewall surface of the earpiece housing, and a second aperture formed through the outer sidewall surface and aligned with the first aperture, wherein the speaker is positioned to direct the acoustic energy through the plurality of sound openings in the earpiece cover and the optical sensor is aligned to emit radiation through the first and second apertures and receive reflected radiation through the first and second apertures. 
     
     
       17. The earpiece set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the carrier comprises material transparent to infrared radiation and the first major surface of the carrier comprises an infrared radiation absorbing material. 
     
     
       18. The earpiece set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the optical sensor has a field of view that is confined to an area within an inner periphery of the earpiece cushion. 
     
     
       19. The earpiece set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the optical emitter is an infrared laser. 
     
     
       20. The earpiece set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the optical sensor comprises a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) and an array of single-photon avalanche diodes (SPAD).